A Way Off This Ship
by Laura Schiller
Summary: What if Orion had been a little less insane and a lot more straightforward with Amy? It might not have been much of a story, but it would certainly have spared a lot of pain.


A Way Off This Ship

By Laura Schiller

Based on: Across The Universe

Copyright: Beth Revis

"What are you doing?"

Orion looked down at the girl from Sol-Earth, fallen on her knees in the dirt, her hands scrabbling at the metal wall of the ship, her face streaked with mud and tears. She was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen, and the most miserable. She reminded him of one of the golden bees the Feeders bred to make honey and fertilize the crops, struggling to get free of a spiderweb.

He was surprised by the stab of guilt he felt. _Elder, you young fool, what have you done? And, frex it all, what was _I _about to do? _Could he really have unplugged any of the frozens, no matter how dangerous they were? If this child was suffering now, how would she feel if he had murdered her father?

"Looking for a way off this ship," she sobbed.

He laughed at the coincidence as he helped her to her feet. If she only knew to whom she was speaking! He could tell her. He _should_ tell her. Hadn't that been his plan from the moment he saw Elder unplug her? But no, he couldn't. He couldn't burden her with this all at once, not in her obvious state of distress.

_But on the other hand, _he thought sardonically, _I'm old enough to know that every bad thing can get worse. This isn't something a few days can fix - especially when those few days include the upcoming Season. She's far too pretty to live on a ship surrounded by Phydus-drinkers. Besides, I'm sick to death of secrets and lies._

"You know," he said seriously, "I might be able to help you there."

"That's not funny," she snapped.

"I'm serious." He held out his hand to her. "Come with me to the Recorder Hall. I'll explain everything. And maybe lend you a towel while we're at it."

/

By the time he'd shown her every piece of evidence he had to offer, including a spare copy of Captain Davis' security video, Amy Martin's white skin, now scrubbed clean, was even more shockingly white than before. Her green eyes were as round as the two planetary globes behind her. She sat so tensely in her chair that the hands clasped together in her homespun lap were white at the knuckles.

"That's … not possible," she said flatly.

"I'm afraid it is," said Orion.

"It can't be."

"Amy … "

"My father would never enslave anyone!" she flashed, coming to life at last as her cheeks turned pink with rage.

"According to the computer, he's fifth-in-command," said Orion, choosing his words very carefully. "From what I've read about Sol-Earth military organization, well … he may not have any choice in the matter."

Amy glared, but seemed to acknowledge that he was right. "But then what? You want – you want to keep them all frozen? Do you have any idea how horrible that is? I was conscious all the while, you know. I remember all three hundred years, and I wish to God I didn't. There is no way I'll allow my people to stay in those coffins any longer than they have to."

Orion thought back to the chilly white shelves of the storage lab. "Hmm. I see what you mean."

"It's the FRX we should worry about." She swallowed hard. "How could they … ? I mean … all those innocent people … "

"Yes." He had lived so long with the knowledge of the glassmaking hybrid slaves of Centauri-Earth that he had nearly gotten used to the idea; seeing it again through fresh eyes, though, brought home the impact of the atrocity all over again. "Which is exactly why I'm so reluctant to land. The last thing I want is for my fellow citizens to join them."

Amy bit her lip. "Don't you think we could help them? Isn't there, like, an antidote for that drug?"

"That's a very nice idea, but it may not be possible." He smiled grimly. "For all we know, FRX soldiers have their weapons trained on us right now, all ready to fire as soon as we enter orbit."

She pouted stubbornly. "_Or_, for all we know, they strip-mined all the solar glass and abandoned the planet forever. The only way we'll know what to do is if we get down there."

He shook his head over the idealism of youth. Was it possible that he'd ever been so hopeful, even at a time when his world lay in pieces around him? And yet, her hope was infectious.

"We're not going anywhere as long as Eldest is in power," he pointed it out. "He'll never give up control over his little world, not even for the new planet, and Doc and the Shippers will do anything for him – including throwing us both out the release hatch. I admit, I've considered assassinating him, but - "

"_No._" Amy held up her hand sharply to silence him. "No killing. He's an asshole, but he still doesn't deserve that. Especially if he's a clone of you and Elder."

Orion couldn't help but smirk at her irreverence; she reminded him more and more of his teenage self. "Well then, we have four years to consider."

"Four years?" She shrank into herself a little, her energy dimmed by the prospect of more time on the ship.

"Until Elder turns twenty and takes the throne, so to speak. He'll have to be told, you know. As soon as possible, before he starts investigating on his own and comes to all the worst conclusions."

"Hmph." Amy snarled. "Elder. Now, if you're talking about assassination - "

"Don't be too hard on the boy," he said soothingly. "He couldn't have known how arduous the unfreezing process would be. He probably thought it would be just like waking up from a nap."

"I still can't believe he did this to me."

"Frankly, I can." He patted her hand in what he hoped was a reassuring manner, even though it made her jump. "Imagine what it must be like to be the only one your age in your entire community – _and_ the future leader everyone looks up to. Imagine how lonely he must be."

Amy's glare faded to a contemplative frown as she stared over his shoulder, remembering the boy she had met less than a day ago. "I guess … " She shook her head. "Still. I'm not the best at forgiving people, you know. I'm gonna have to stay mad for a while."

"As long as you don't stay that way forever. We need him on our side."

He thought of the ancient Sol-Earth superstition about red-haired people and their tempers, and figured that this girl was probably no exception. He did not care to rouse that temper against himself by saying what was on his mind, namely that Elder might very likely have unplugged her because of her beauty – and now that he'd met her, he could easily see them as a couple. Coming from Elder's clone, that would be simply too bizarre.

"We need everyone on our side we can get," she said ruefully. "Do you think – have you met a painter named Harley? He's the only one on this ship, besides you and Elder, who doesn't think I'm a freak. He seemed really nice. Do you think we could trust him?"

"Oh, I know him. We'll see." His instinct was to trust any friend of Elder's – he knew they were friends, and close friends at that, from watching Harley paint Elder's portrait – but artists were unpredictable, just like that young singer who had Phydused herself into mindlessness a few years ago. They'd have to ask Elder what sort of temperament this Harley had, and if he was likely to betray them.

"God." he sighed. "Four years. I don't know … "

"I've been waiting for seventeen," said Orion simply. "And _Godspeed_ for five hundred. We'll survive."

"I sure hope so," she said doubtfully.

"I'll be right here, Amy." She looked up with bright green eyes, responding to a kind voice like a flower opening to the sun. "So will that painter of yours. So will Elder, come to that. You're going to be just fine."

A smile trembled in the corners of her face. For what felt like the first time in sixteen years, Orion smiled back.


End file.
